Payoff
by Sidalee
Summary: Kono agrees to set Danny up with one of her friends. But what is Lori doing in the same bar? A follow up story to The catalyst.


**Disclaimer:** I own nothing you recognize…

**A/N:** I have no idea what happened here. I just had this sudden urge to write Danny/Lori. It's a follow up fic to my other story _The catalyst_. Please don't hate me too much for it! It also contains Steve/Kono established relationship.

Tell me what you think!

* * *

><p>"You want me to do what?" Kono stares at Steve above the rim of her coffee mug. She somehow expected a little different 'morning after' talk.<p>

"I want you to introduce Danny to one of your girlfriends." Steve says it slowly because he doesn't want to repeat it again. He feels awkward enough doing this already. "To a single one."

"Why?" She looks at him suspiciously. Come on, Steve McGarrett playing matchmaker? You have to admit it's not something you experience every day.

"Because I owe him for…" He stops quickly.

"For?" Kono presses the issue and maybe it's just her imagination but Steve looks really uncomfortable right now.

"He wanted to ask you out, okay?" He rushes out the words through gritted teeth.

"Oh my God." Kono can't keep the laughter in anymore.

"Hey." Steve crosses his arms before his chest, looking offended.

"Sorry." She wheezes out between fits of giggles. "Okay. I'll do it."

"Thank you."

.

.

That's why the three of them are sitting around a table in their favorite bar a week later.

"I'm sorry that she couldn't come." Kono pats Danny's shoulder.

"It's okay, never mind." Danny flashes a wry smile. "I mean why would a pretty Hawaiian girl want to date a guy like me. I bet she'd even make fun of my tie like you always do."

"Danny…" Steve tries to say something reassuring or mean, Danny never knows with him for sure.

"Can we not talk about it anymore, please?" Danny huffs in annoyance. "If we can't then I suggest that we just finish our beers in silence."

Steve raises a brow and Kono just snorts but then she notices someone.

"Hey, Lori!" She waves at her directions.

Lori has that deer in the headlight look on her face but after she pays for her beer at the bar she approaches their table cautiously.

"Hey guys." She greets them with a small smile. "What are you doing here?"

"Getting stood up, obviously." Danny drawls.

"I said that I was sorry." Kono says defensively.

After that they are making small talks and it flows surprisingly easily but Danny keeps shooting disapproving looks at Steve and Kono's direction.

"That's it! What are you? Sixteen?" He blows up when Steve nearly chokes on his beer while trying to moan and drink at the same time. "Hands over the table, young lady. Who'd thought that you are a naughty little troublemaker?"

Kono shoots him a glare but at least she has a tendency to look a little sheepish.

"Get out, you hormone crazed lunatics." Danny points towards the door. "Get a room or something and please don't scar the people with inappropriate touching on the way."

Before Steve can say anything in return, Kono is already out of her seat, pulling a confused looking Steve after her.

"Are they…?" Lori turns towards Danny with a wide-eyed look.

"Yep."

"When did that happen?"

"Recently." Danny shrugs and takes a swig of his beer.

"Oh."

"You seem disappointed."

"No, I'm not."

"Oh, come on, babe." Danny nudges her with his shoulder. "You couldn't hide that little crush of yours quite well."

"It wasn't a crush." Lori fiddles with her bottle. "It's just that he's pretty intense, you know. It's like when you got overwhelmed by one of your teachers back in high school. And you want all of his attention on you."

"Well, it still sounds like a crush to me." Danny grins. "But what's done is done. He got the girl he wanted."

"Did I hear disappointment in your voice?" Lori teases. "You have a crush on the teacher too?"

"What?" Danny nearly chokes on his beer. "No."

"Is this about Kono then?"

"Something like that."

"Damn." Lori sighs. "I envy her. She gets all the attention."

"Hey." Danny reaches out suddenly and covers her hand with his. "You are going to find your place in here. I promise."

"Thanks." She smiles at him. "It's just hard sometimes, feeling like the fifth wheel. You guys are pretty close."

"We are family. But we always open to adopt new members."

Lori finally lets out a laugh and Danny squeezes her fingers slightly. And somehow it felt nice. Easy.

"You have a pretty smile." He blurts out unintentionally.

"Are you flirting with me?" Lori asks but blushes nonetheless.

"Don't know. Are you going to hit me with your bottle if I say yes?"

"Maybe." Lori can't help but smiling.

.

.

The next day when Steve walks into Danny's hotel room and finds them cuffed together he has a hard time to stifle his laugh.

He needs to apologize to Kono. She's a matchmaking mastermind after all.


End file.
